Seo 2 Blog

Cheap Ways To Build Chicken Coop Accessories

There are many things to be aware of when you build a chicken coop. I bet that over the last couple of days your focus has been on providing enough light, air and protection for your hens. But now you’ve done your homework, your coop is secure, sturdy and easy to work in, you’ve cleaned everything up and are rearing to get your girls in.

I know, you have just completed this architectural masterpiece for your flock and now you have to fill it up with stuff as well? I recall thinking “how bad would it be if we didn’t bring in a nesting box or two?” and “what the hang is a roost?”. “Why do they want a water trough or feeder? Can’t they just dine off the floor and doze on the floor? They are just birds after all, why should we worry with attempting to build chicken coop accessories”. And then I thought about it a bit more.

Yes they are hens which is exactly the rationale behind why we have to care about their wants. The good thing about farming chickens is that they are animals, meaning that their needs are really simple. Their instincts define their needs and that is to eat, sleep and nest where they are safe. That is it. If you need their eggs, then you need to make them contented so that they will freely provide you those eggs with as little performance as possible.

So when you build chicken coop accessories make an effort to picture that you are a tiny, almost flightless bird and ask yourself where you would feel the most safe. I bet that ‘up high’ should feature quite highly! With that in mind, here is a quick run-down on the common accessories for your coop

Nesting Boxes;
Nesting boxes are for your chooks to lay their eggs in – If you thought that they were for sleeping in, you are just like I was when I first started! These can be made out of pretty well anything. Just make sure that if it made of a material that breaks down or absorbs water that you replace it regularly. They can be lined with straw, paper, shavings or hay, but this also needs to be replaced on a very regular basis.

I know that we go on about chickens needing their room, but when it comes to the nesting box they certainly like to share, so allow for 4 or 5 hens per box rather than planning individual nests.

The Roost;
The roost is where the sleeping is done.
Think of the highest branch in a tree, this is the roost, so it really only wants to be a tough beam. As long as it will hold the mass of the chooks and they can get their talons around it securely most anything will do. An essential note when you build chicken coop roosts is that just as in the wild, chickens will clash over the uppermost branch, so make all the roosts the same height. This is one area that your hens will need their legroom, so make sure that there is sufficient room on the roosts for all your chickens. This will avoid major arguments and help encourage a calm environment.

This is really important; Do not situate your nesting boxes or any other accessories under your roosts! Chooks do the majority of their defacating while they sleep – and I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be that keen on producing an egg in a soiled nesting box!

Feeders and Waterers;
Self explanatory – there are a excellent assortment of mechanized systems available that will make certain that your hens have a complete stock of fresh food and water.

Sand Baths;
Sand Baths are just about the only ‘luxury item’ in the coop. Most people put sand in the bottom when they build chicken coop runs – which doubles as flooring as well.

Heaters;
If you reside in extremely cold areas then these might be installed in your enclosure with comparative ease. There are various heaters around, but many also create a huge fire hazard so installing a heater in your hutch should really only be done if very necessary.

Fortunately there are a great selection of plans available for when you want to build chicken coop accessories that contain all the essentials with easy peasy step by step instructions. From building chicken coop nesting boxes to roosts it all becomes a breeze – In fact I bet it even makes your neighbors jealous and your eggs taste better!

Read practical advice about internet marketing – go through this page. The times have come when proper information is really within your reach, use this possibility.

Tags: build chicken coop
Posted in Farm · February 5th, 2010 · Comments (0)